Scouring implement



Jan. 29 1924. 1,482,016

R. B. KINGMAN S COURING IMPLEMENT Fil y 51, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet a IN V EN TOR.

Jan. 29 1924. 1,482,016

R. B. KINGMAN SCOURING- IMPLEMENT Filed May 51,

1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR. Euss6%5 /2 z?2 mm A TTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 29, 1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

RUSSELL B. KINGMAN, ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

SCOURING IMPLEMENT.

Application filed May 31,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUssELL B. KING- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Securing Implements; and I do hereby declare the following to'be'a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apertains to make and use the same, reference inghad to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates, generally, to improvements in scouring implements, and is in the nature of improvements in that class of scouring elements set forth in U. S. Letters-Patent No. 1,449,184, granted March 20,

1923, to Albert Kessler.

The present invention has reference, more particularly, to a novel construction of hand implement or device for cleansing and brightening surfaces which require the application of an abrasive action thereto, such as metallic surfaces of the various kinds,

' and especially as cooking utensils, and the "which although of an elastic structure, that the same may be easily and comfortably handled and manipulated for abradin pur-' poses, shall be rendered non-stretcha le so as to prevent a distorted and unsightly, as well as an inefficient scouring implement or device when the same is placed in constant use.

The invention has for its further object rovide a scouring device made of a metaliic material, preferably in the form of flat and narrow ribbon-like strands, which are interwoven together, and then shaped to produce an elastic spongiform tubular fabric rolled aboutv a non-stretchable ele- 1923. Serial No. 642,530.

ment or core, so that the mass will readily conform itself to the surface to which it is applied, but will not become elongated, due to stretching, particularly when in use for scouring purposes.

It has been found in practice, that when the scouring implement or device has been made without the addition of such nonstretchable element, either in the form of a string-core, or Wire, or the like, concealed within the rolled spongiform mass, that when the prospective purchasers pick up the implement or device from the counter upon which it is displayed for sale, they are apt to pull upon the device, so that the same is easily stretched out of shape; and, furthermore, when the device is in use in the sink, it elongates several times its original annular shape, thus becoming flabby and of an unsightly appearance.

To avoid these objectionable features, therefore, is the principal purpose of the present invention.

Other objects of the invention, such as are set forth in the said prior Patent No.

1,449,184 herein-above mentioned, are also 7 the purpose of the herein described invention.

With the various objects of the present invention in view, the said invention consists, primarily, in the novel scouring implement hereinafter set forth; and, the said invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements and combinations of the' several devices and parts, as well 'as in the details of the construction of the same, all

of which will be more fully described in the following specification, and then finally embodied in the clauses of the claims which are'appended to and which form an essential part of the said specification. c

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a scourin implement made according to and embo ying the principles of the present invention showing a portion of the rolled structure 0 the spongiform mass broken away, and illustrating the relation of the non-stretchable element or core within the rolled mass;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating one method of producing the device; and Figure 3 is a detail transverse sectional representation ofthe scouring implement, said view being made on an enlarged scale.

F igure4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a modified method of producing a modified form of scouring device, but still embodying the principles of the present invention; and Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional representation of said modified form of scouring implement.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the said above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

According to the principles of the present invention, the scouring implement or device comprises a knitted or woven metal lic fabric rolled upon itself or spirally wound to produce an elastic spongiform mass of a cylindrical shape, or in the form of a ring, suitably secured against unwinding, and the rolled mass having centrally and suitably imbedded and concealed therein, a non-elastic or non-stretchable restraining element or core, either in the form of a. string, wire, or hard and non-elastic rubber, celluloid, or other analogous material, which will prevent stretching or pulling of the finished device out of shape from its original shape or ring-form, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

This metallic fabric is preferably constructed of a thin ribbon-like wire, made of a non-corrosive metal of a suitable degree of hardness, such as copper, or the like. The fabric is produced by forming a series of rows of interlocked loops of said ribbonlike wire, until a desired area of the fabric is attained, and around one or both end-por-- tions of which is arranged the non-elastic or non-stretchable element orcore,substantially as indicated in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings. The mass is then rolled or spirally wound upon itself, from the one end-portion carrying the single restraining element or core to the other en'dportion of the knitted or Woven structure, or when carrying two of such restraining elements or cores, at the iespective end-portions, toward each other until th rolled or wound portions meet to form the desired cylindrical shape, and then suitably secured to retain the cylindrical or ring-like shape, in the first instance by suitably fastening the outeror free edge of the fabric to the cylindrical mass or roll thus produced when the devic is constructed as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3; or, in the second instance, by suitably fastening the meeting cylindrical masses or rolls, when the device is constructed as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings. The spirally wound convolutions of the fabric, thus arran ed, ineither case form an elastic spongi orm cylindrical mass or roll, as in Figure 3, or a pair of such cylindrical masses or rolls,;.as in Figure 5, the loops of the outer layersof which present a multiplicity of sharp and resiliently acting edges, whereby a desired scraping or abrading action is attained when the device is rubbed over the surface to be cleaned, and yet, owing to the rounded character of the projecting loops, all sharp points likely to penetrate or irritate the users hand are eliminated.

Referring now mor particularly to F igures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, in which is shown one embodiment of the principles of the present invention, the referencecharactcr 1, in Figure 1, indicates an annular body or ring which is substantially cylindrical or circular in crossssec-tion. To produce this body or ring 1, I first construct a tubular or sleeve-like member or structure 2 of the metallic fabric formed by rows of interlocked loops 3 of narrow ribbon-like wire, see Figure :2 of the drawings,

about on endportion of which, So as to encircle said end-port-ion, I arrange a suitably constructed non-elastic or non-stretchable restraining element, as 4, either in the form of a string, wire, hard and nonelastic rubber, celluloid, or other analogous and suitable material.

The end-portion of the metallic fabric, bound by the said restraining element 4, is now turned, outwardly and upwardly upon itself, as indicated by the arrow 00 in Figure 2, so that the same may be rolled up to produce the spirally wound body or roll 5, as indicated by the dotted representation thereof shown in said Figure 2, and also as clearly indicated in Figure 3, with the non-elastic or non-stretchable restraining element 4, as a core, suitably imbedded and concealed within the saidbody or roll 5, and thus producing the annular cylindrical body or ring 1, illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings. As shown in said Figure 3, the outer free edge 6 of the, fabric is preferably located at the inner side of said annular cylindrical body or ring, and the same is secured against unwinding or displacement by means of wire-stitching, as 7; but it will be understood that other suit-able fastening means for firmly attaching said edge 6 to the mass of the body 1 may be employed.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, in which is shown a modified form of construction of scouring implement or device, the reference-character 8 indicates a tubular or sleeve-like structure of the metallic fabric formed by rows of interlocked loops of narrow ribbon-like wire, similar in construction of the tubular or sleeve-like structure indicated in Figure 2 of the draw ings. About the respective end-portions of this structure are arranged suitably constructed non-elastic or non-stretchable restraining elements 9 and 10, similar to the element 4 herein-before mentioned. The end-portions of the structure 8, thus bound by the respective restraining elements 9 and 10, are now turned outwardly and, respectively, upwardly and downwardly upon themselves, as indicated by the arrow 3 and arrow 2, see Figure 4:, so that the same may be rolled up in opposite directions, toward the central portion of the said structure 8, to produce two spirally wound bodies or rolls 11 and 12, substantially as indicated by thedotted outline in said Figure 4, and also as indicated in said Figure 5, with the nonelastic or non-stretchable restraining elements 9 and 10, each as a core, suitably imbedded and concealed within the respective body or roll 11 or 12, and thereby providing an annular cylindrical body or ring of the eneral construction represented in said Figure 5 of the drawings. The said bodies or rolls 11 and 12, in order to secure them against unwinding and displacement, are secured together by means of wire-stitching, as 13; but it will also be understood that any other suitable fastening means may be emplo ed, if desired.

l rom the foregoing description of the present invention, it will be evident, that thecylindrical bodies, in either construction, provide a multiplicity of projecting loopportions which provide sharp scraping edges for .producing the abrasive action desired of the device when rubbing the same against the surface to be cleaned, said rounded projecting loops eliminating all sharp points adapted to penetrate or irritate the hand of the user. In the present case, While .the scouring implement or device can not be pulled orstretched out of shape, or during constant use, does not elongate several times its original circumference, still its rolled ass is sufiiciently resilient or elastic, so t at when pressed a ainst a surface to be cleaned, the same wi l conform thereto and effectively contact with the surface, as for instance, when pressing the scouring device into the corners or angles of a pot, kettle or pan. As will be evident, the rolled mass or masses of the device being porous or spongiform, that is being interspersed with interstices, water or other cleansing fluid will readily penetrate and flow therethrough, when it is desired to clean the-device after the same has been used, and consequently the scouring implement may at all times be easily maintained in a sanitary condition. -Furthermore, a device of Suficient bulk is provided which may be firmly gripped and held in the hand, when the same is being used. The annular shape of the device also permits the same to be readily and securely suspended from a peg or hook,

when not in use, so as to be always conveniently at hand, and when thus suspended, permitting the device to readily drain itself and dry out.

While the annular shape of the scouring device shown in the accompanying drawings and herein-before described is preferable, I do not wish to be understood as limitin myself entirely to such shape, since it wi be fully understood that the substance'and the principles of.the present invention, so far as the production of a spongiform or orous mass formed of a metallic wireabric, and provided with a non-stretchable restraining means are concerned, the same mziy readily be embodied in. other shapes. claim 1. A scouring implement comprising a tubular metallic fabric member spirall rolled upon itself in directions. from hot end-portions toward the central portion of the said member so. as to provide adjacent annular bodies, each body forming an elastic spongiform mass, anon-stretchable restraining means within said rolled masses,

and means for securing said. rolled masses together.

2. A scouring implement comprising a tubular metallic fabric member spirally Wound in the direction of its length to provide an annular body forming an elastic spongiform mass, and a non-stretchable restraining means within said rolled mass.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of May, 1923.

' RUSSELL B. KINGMAN Witnesses:

- M. Gnonem Hmmnnsox,

M. C. Munvmnm. 

